The beautiful, immature girl whom she took home to her husband was a maid only in name. Tomo's real mission had been to find him a mistress. Nor di...
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reviews
Jul 12, 2011
Heidi
rated it: 
This is a beautiful, haunting novel that addresses the problems of patriarchy in traditional Japanese society in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As with Enchi's Masks, the novel starts out a little slow (which is something I've come to appreciate in fiction), but begins to pick up after five or ten pages--not in terms of plot, necessarily, but in character complexity and a dark, slow-sinking sense of foreboding. A lot of the novel's tension comes from the juxtaposition of surface "n
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Sep 05, 2009
Illa
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Като прочетох „Onnazaka”, се сетих за „Гераците”. Като контрапункт. Но „контрапункт” в музикалния смисъл на думата, означаващ „едновременно съчетаване на два или повече мелодични пункта”, полифония един вид, а не конфронтация, сблъсък на гледните точки, както го разбират термина другите изкуства.
Действието и в двете произведения се развива по едно и също време – края на ХІХ-началото на ХХ в.; и двете творби имат за тема „Влиянието на нововъзникналите капиталистически отношения върху патри More...
Действието и в двете произведения се развива по едно и също време – края на ХІХ-началото на ХХ в.; и двете творби имат за тема „Влиянието на нововъзникналите капиталистически отношения върху патри More...
Mar 01, 2010
Veronika
rated it:
Rather depresive and very sad, but strong and very beautiful. Fom first issue in 1957 remains till today very popular novel in Japan. From female author.
Historical novel (from end of 19. century) mainly about two heroines. Tomo is beautiful young woman from poor but noble (samurai) family, wife of wealthy and succesful young and handsome Japanese nobleman (samurai, but of much better origin than her) whom she loves and who married her in her age of 14. Now she is 30 and she has two childre More...
Historical novel (from end of 19. century) mainly about two heroines. Tomo is beautiful young woman from poor but noble (samurai) family, wife of wealthy and succesful young and handsome Japanese nobleman (samurai, but of much better origin than her) whom she loves and who married her in her age of 14. Now she is 30 and she has two childre More...
May 04, 2009
Bayan
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Tomo dalam novel ini bukan semata-mata menangani perempuan-perempuan simpanan (gundik) suaminya, tetapi lebih daripada itu lahir sebagai seorang isteri yang sangat setia menjaga maruah dan kesinambungan keluarga serta sanggup melakukan apa sahaja demi memastikan aturan tradisi - ketaatan seorang isteri dalam apa jua perkara, dapat dilaksanakan olehnya, juga memastikan tiada ‘onar’ yang boleh memusnahkan keluarganya.
Tomo, menyimpan segala rahsia emosi seorang isteri yang sepi, seorang More...
Tomo, menyimpan segala rahsia emosi seorang isteri yang sepi, seorang More...
Jun 15, 2011
Ioana
rated it: 
Povestea o are în centrul ei pe Tomo, tânăra soţie a unui demnitar japonez care e trimisă în Tokyo cu o misiune: să-i găsească lui Yukitomo o metresă tânără, care să-i fie acestuia pe plac. Oricât de revoltătoare pare această idee în ochii unui occidental, în Japonia secolului 19 aceste ordine nu se discută, ci se execută, iar codul manierelor spune clar că o femeie trebuie să fie mereu fidelă şi să-şi respecte soţul, în vreme ce acestuia i se permite să calce strâmb (chiar şi în văzul lumii). O
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Aug 03, 2009
Jim
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I wonder what modern Japanese women think of this novel. The main character is asked by her husband (at the very beginning of the book) to go and find him a mistress. Well, the plot thickens (or sickens) as her husband "needs" are not fully met by the young lady. It's not graphic at all, but a psychological look into the affects of old Japanese culture on good women and men who think they are privileged. It makes you think men and women need to be honest and open with one another.
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Jan 13, 2011
Dwenig58
rated it:
This was an fascinating perspective on the intertwined lives of several women in one household in the early Meiji period. Focusing on a wife/mother, two concubines, servants, daughter we see that Enchi weaves a tale that quiet powerfully reflects the women and their roles in a patriarchal society -- which were quiet defined and constrained. At times appalling to the modern reader, one has to take into consideration the fact that this is a novel reflecting a time past but also leads you to wonder
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Oct 28, 2009
Sunni
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Like other Japanese books I've read, this is a slow observation of people's lives. I think it is nicely written and pretty well translated...but it's a style can be sluggish if you aren't used to it, and there's a lot of repetition. On the plus side, it gives real insight into the thinking of Japanese women in the early to mid-1900s and how they adapted to their restrictive lifestyles -- especially in roles as wives, mothers, concubines and geishas. The ending falls flat...but again Japanese wri
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Jan 31, 2008
Dereka
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I read this book for a program at the local library called "Let's Talk About It". About a well to do Japanese family early in the 20th century. It centers on the conflict between a loyal and obedient wife and an arrogant, unloving husband. When his infidelities go outside the established social boundaries (concubines are acceptable, his affair with his daughter in law is not), the wife becomes bitter. She keeps herself under a steely control and hopes only to outlive him (thus the
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Jul 10, 2010
Jase
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brilliantly deep characters with a detailed look into the ie system. i did not care much for the huge time skips, nor the sudden introduction of characters, but the gradual degradation of each of the characters seemed real and believable. poor suga.
May 09, 2010
Jen
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Went on a reading holiday and here was the first stop: pre World War Japan-- and the saga of the woman in Japanese literature. Enchi won the most prestigious prize for Women Writers in Japan.
An amazing ride through decades of family relations.
An amazing ride through decades of family relations.
Aug 23, 2011
This sort of premise in this sort of book is normally what I would avoid because I know it will only depress me. But it looks too good. I must find it.
Feb 19, 2011
Cecily
rated it:
Moving novel about the life of a Japanese woman during the early Showa
period. Probably as exotic to a modern Japanese woman as it is to Western
ones.
period. Probably as exotic to a modern Japanese woman as it is to Western
ones.
Mar 08, 2010
Jenny
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i really did not like this book. it bored me, but i know plenty of people who loved it and would recommend it. It just really wasn't my kind of book.
Feb 19, 2008
Rachel
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Fumiko Enchi is Japan's leading woman novelist and with a great tale like this one it is clear why. With each of the female characters (Tomo, the heart-heavy wife on a mission to find a mistress for her husband; Suga, the mistress who captures her masters heart with her innocence; Yumi, eventually another mistress whose flirtatious manner takes Suga away from the master; Miya, the wife of the masters son who is soon the masters object of affection), Enchi builds the fears of each character as w
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Jul 31, 2011
Women in male dominated Japanese society around 1900. Beautifully written and very insightful. What it feels like for a girl ...
Jul 01, 2009
Erik
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It's the story of a Japanese family from the turn of the 20th c. throught the war years. Great read!
Jan 03, 2011
Hannah
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Read this book in a Women's Lit class. I remember it. One of my favorites from the class.
Jun 29, 2009
Kelli
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This is an interesting story. The translation is not smooth, but it isn't difficult.
Nov 15, 2010
Joe
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Warning this book contains a lot of immorality/affairs. It is a reflection of the Meiji era written during post WWII. The book itself was influential as a feminist piece of literature and very influential in changing the status of women authors.
Personally, I did not wholly enjoy this book although it was interesting and our class discussion was very interesting.
Personally, I did not wholly enjoy this book although it was interesting and our class discussion was very interesting.
Dec 05, 2007
Sara
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The book was pretty good but I felt the characters were a bit underdeveloped. It gives some pretty good insight into Japanese women's thoughts from about 1850-1890, but there are several different characters that they only allow you to see their surface thoughts. A good introduction to the confucious household structure and thought process differences between men and women. However, I think a reader would need a bit of a background of this knowledge to recognize that. I recommend it!
Feb 04, 2008
Gideon
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Excellent book. I like how it tells the story of four (I think it was four) women who live in the same household, but each have very different responsibilities and relationships to the master of the house. My only complaint (hence only 4 stars) is that the story moves a little slowly for my taste, and is very subtle, which means you really have to pay attention to the text to enjoy it fully.
Just a random note: my favorite of the women was Tomo (the wife).
Just a random note: my favorite of the women was Tomo (the wife).
Mar 22, 2008
Erin
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This story centers on a wealthy family whose head of household is an unsympathetic womanizer. It does tell a great deal about the condition of Japanese women leading up to the occupation. Even so, without the virtuous strength of the emotionally neglected and physically forgotten wife this household would undoubtedly crumble.
Apr 27, 2009
Najibah
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Buku ini dibaca bertahun-tahun dulu, sewaktu masih di sekolah menengah.
Waktu dulu sarat emosi, simpati dengan nasib yang menimpa Tomo yang harus menerima kehadiran perempuan simpanan suami yang masih muda (Suga?).
Mungkin akan ulang baca, tapi tak pasti sama ada buku ini masih ada dalam simpanan di rumah.
Waktu dulu sarat emosi, simpati dengan nasib yang menimpa Tomo yang harus menerima kehadiran perempuan simpanan suami yang masih muda (Suga?).
Mungkin akan ulang baca, tapi tak pasti sama ada buku ini masih ada dalam simpanan di rumah.
Jul 03, 2008
Desilva
rated it:
This is a really interesting book of a poor wife's torment in a society where women had no rights or wealth save what was attached to their husbands. She has to choose her husband's concubine, then watch as this new woman's influence works its way into her home.
Feb 14, 2011
astrangerhere
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A fantastic view into a world and a culture so very different from our own. Yet the desires and emotion translate in any language.
Oct 14, 2008
Romel Anthony
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A poignant look at how one Japanese woman endured both the physical and the emotional burdens that came with being the wife of an important official around the growing Westernization during the restoration era. Reads like a soap opera.
Jul 12, 2008
Leah
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A really good look at life as a woman in Meiji era Japan (late 1800s, early 1900s). It follows this beaucrat's first wife over a 40 year span and all the things she has to put up with including finding her husband various concubines.
Dec 17, 2009
Sarah
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As the title suggests, this is a pretty slow paced book about family life from a woman's perspective in Japan. Judging from the book, the waiting years are pretty much the entire adult life. Very sad, very subtle, very good.
Jul 08, 2008
Rebecca
rated it:
Well written. There's something very interesting to me about how Japanese women survived through their oppressions.
